It’s a cold, gray winter morning in coastal North Carolina; not the stuff of tourist brochures. The wind before dawn—4 a.m., in fact—brings a chill best suited for staying in bed. It cuts across the water, a likely challenge for motivation to tackle a 32-mile round-trip paddle from Wrightsville Beach to Carolina Beach. For a select group of friends, athletes, and adventurers, however, motivation is never in question. 

 “It can be choppy, rainy…we just do it,” says Chris Curry, owner of Adapt Kitchen and Juice Bar and seasoned surfer, triathlete, and big wave adventurer. The ‘we just do it’ refers to moving the 44-foot outrigger canoe through the water, be it the Intracoastal Waterway or the open ocean. As the lights on board illuminate the last of the night, the athletes find their rhythm. Their efforts propel the 450-pound vessel across the horizon and into the sunrise. 

Originally a Polynesian sport, outrigger canoeing traces its roots to Tahitian and Hawaiian culture, A human-powered machine, the canoes filled with hunters and explorers moving beyond the known. 

Longtime Wrightsville Beach-local and entrepreneur Reggie Barnes shipped the first canoe to the canoe, hoping to lure his own breed of explorer. “I was like ‘Hey, I got an outrigger canoe. Wanna come paddle?” 

The answer was an instant, emphatic yes. Enter Kevin Rhodes, local musician, athlete and businessman; Steve Lewis, landscaping entrepreneur and area Air B and B host; Chris Curry; and Reggie, owner of Eastern Skateboard Supply Company. “I saw the boats go by and was like, I want to join,” recalls Steve. “I was one of the first six to step into the boat. I was immediately taken!” 

The workouts begin off the water; as surfers, triathletes, and stand-up paddlers, the men know the importance of getting in shape prior to tackling a sport. “We lift weights, run the dunes, and do it in all kinds of weather,” says Kevin, a competitive force in the stand-up paddling circuit. 

Be it running, paddling, or swimming, in order to raise their collective bar, the athletes track their teammates’ progress. “We all wear Garmin watches,” says Reggie, “and share the data. “We can see who’s working and who’s not,” adds Chris, with a chuckle. “Garmin keeps us honest!” 

One of the paddlers has six kids, and some are corporate guys; Kevin coaches soccer, plays music, and has multiple jobs. With businesses, jobs, families, and busy lives, finding time and energy for the water isn’t easy. “I’m so impressed with these guys,” says Kevin. “They always make it happen.”

As the outings progressed, so did the goals. In 2016, the athletes competed in the Hudson River Race and beat D.C. by two minutes, which pushed the competitive spirit that much further. They set their sights on the 2017 Moloka’i Hoe Canoe Race, one of the most symbolic outrigger races in the world. “We were just a year and a couple months into the sport,” says Steve. “It was a quick trajectory!”

But the energy was there. The team trained for eight months– all winter, a long spring and partial summer, before breaking to replenish for their first Mokoka’i.  

The Moloka’i Hoe Canoe Race involves a 32-mile crossing across a 4,000-foot-deep channel, located 46 miles from the Hawaiian island of Moloka’i. Chris recalls the energy of that first race. “There were like 600 men, this weird group of people from around the world,” he says, with a smile, “all frothing to compete. We were kids in a candy store!”

“The coral heads, the water, these tall buildings, all the canoes lined up and ready to go…. it’s beautiful paddling around downtown Honolulu,” he says. “Definitely part of the culture.”

 With over 100 boats all lined up in some semblance of order, one feels the tension—the energy. The horn blows, and the race starts. 

The team paddled two beautiful canoes christened for a hybrid of Hawaiian and Southern culture— “we paddled the Dirti South and the Sweet Ti,” says Chris, with a chuckle—and the locals did a canoe blessing, a very deep part of Polynesian tradition. “They put tea leaves in the boat and acknowledged our crew…’We got a boat from North Carolina!’ they called out. It gave me goosebumps,” says Steve. 

While six paddlers move the canoe, three ‘replacement’ athletes ride ahead in the support boat. About 45 minutes into the race, the first change takes place. 

The new crew exits the support boat in the exact order of the seats they’ll take; there’s a megaphone, a loud ‘Change!’ command, and the new crew exits the support boat in the exact order of the seats they’ll take. Once the changes happen, the energy settles.

“It’s got to be well choreographed,” says Steve, of the finely tuned maneuvers executed alongside whales, sea turtles, and a seven-foot shark. 

With the current coming around Oahu, they cut it a little close in the swell around Diamondhead. We were in a death match with some of the other boats,” he says. “I thought we were gonna flip.” 

“One wave is all it takes,” says Reggie. “And it can be a thousand yards ahead! The wind and the tide are as important as being a strong paddler.”

But camaraderie rippled across the water, part of the common culture that binds all racers together. “The Hawaiian guys were yelling, ‘OK, Carolina Boys!’” recalls Steve. 

And with a team across the ages, ranging from 30 to 55, the Carolina Boys broke the six-hour mark (5:50)— “it felt great for our first time,” says Chris. Of 103 boats, the Carolina Boys placed 5oth. “We knew we would finish,” says Chris. “The important thing was to give it all we could.”  

Back in North Carolina, throughout pandemic precautions and lifestyle shifts, the paddling continues. “We’re doing it in darkness. No no one knows we’re out there,” says Steve, of those stealth early mornings in the dead of winter. “There’s cohesiveness. We love to surf, love to paddle,” he says, “and we love what we do! We train so we can really perform.”

It’s about commitment. “We put it on the schedule, like a job,” Chris explains. “I bring a thermos of hot water and pour it on my gloves,” he shares, with a smile, recalling a bitter cold workout requiring all paddles on deck.  

Like the waves they read together, finding collective flow is a fluid, ongoing endeavor. 

Competition creates teamwork, and motivation builds momentum. “We’re a band of brothers,” says Kevin. “And we push each other.”

 Now, with dreams of a two-peat and another go at Moloka’i, these dads, businessmen, and modern-day adventurers are working toward a new personal best. Coordinated efforts, calibrated watches, and an unwavering commitment to the cause. 

When the world wakes up, the Carolina Boys will be ready.